Fire and Ice set to combine at Ferrari as Kimi Raikkonen returns to old F1 team as Fernando Alonso's teammate

Kimi Raikkonen is set to join the list of Ascari, Hawthorn, Ickx, Regazzoni, Andretti and Berger as he makes a return to Ferrari for the 2014 season.

There has been a lot of speculation in the F1 paddock about where the 33-year-old 2007 champion would be in 2014. Ever since Mark Webber announced that he will be leaving F1, Raikkonen was linked to Red Bull as triple World Champion Sebastian Vettel's teammate.

The team was set to become the strongest on the paddock with two World Champions. But a weeks ago, the constructors champions announced that young driver Daniel Ricciardo would replace Webber, ending the Raikkonen link.

Raikkonen was then linked to former teams McLaren and Ferrari. Lotus also were known to be doing their best to retain the 2013 Australian GP winner.

Known as the 'Iceman' in the paddock the Finn left McLaren for Ferrari in 2007 and was paid by Ferrari to sit out in 2010 as they replaced him with Fernando Alonso.

After dabbling for two years in rallying, Raikkonen made an awesome return to F1 having an awesome run at points scoring that only ended in August when he crashed out of the Belgian GP.

Felipe Massa's exit from Ferrari announced on Tuesday by the Brazilian and the signing of Raikkonen confirmed on Wednesday now means that Ferrari have a fire and ice combination as the Finn is cool and Alonso is known to be a hot headed guy.

The two drivers seemed excited from press releases about the prospects of driving together. But F1 fans and experts all know that Fernando Alonso always likes being No1 and had a big problem with Lewis Hamilton in 2007 when the British driver who was a rookie at that time challenged him.

How Kimi and Alonso get along and play the 'team game' will be interesting to see. Felipe Massa has on a number of occasions been more than happy to give up his position to Alonso. This is something Raikkonen, a former World Champion will not agree to do.

The strongest driver's line up on paper, two opposite personalities and perhaps two of the four most talented drivers on the grid together with Hamilton and Vettel, being the other two; means Ferrari have an envious line up.

Who will be No1 driver and how will Alonso deal with Raikkonen and his driving style makes 2014 an exciting prospects for fans. Lotus the team the 2007 World Champion will leave at the end of this season expressed their feelings with a 'controversial' bunny tweet.

With new rules in 2014 and now many teams set to see new driver line ups, the upcoming F1 season promises to be a cracker as this season has lost its interest with Vettel headed to his fourth title.

The 2014 season will reveal whether new rules and rivals can stop the German champion as he closes in on Michael Schumacher's seven world titles.

Ferrari who have failed to win a world championship since Raikkonen left will hope with the return of the Finn, their fortunes also improve. A fan favourite, Kimi Raikkonen is well loved by the F1 fans and will also help the team who has seen their popularity fall in recent years get more support.